What does cancer have to do with Haunt Jaunts? Everything!
Hi! My name is Courtney Mroch, the host, guide, and creator of Haunt Jaunts.
On December 31, 2008, I woke up for the third morning in a row in a hospital room. But this morning would be different. It would change my life forever. I’d finally get the test results back that my husband and I had been anxiously awaiting.
There were three things I could be suffering from, and one of them, tuberculosis, had already been ruled out. That meant it was either a fungal ball or cancer.
In my heart, I knew it was cancer. (Though I was praying for the fungal ball.)
I’d known for months actually. Since August. But since I’d just lost my mom that July to cancer, my doctor dismissed my concerns and instead believed I was experiencing what amounted to “sympathy cancer” symptoms.
Well, as the months passed and my health continued to deteriorate, I eventually found myself writhing on the floor in pain with my husband begging me to let him take me to the hospital, which I finally agreed to on December 28. I was immediately admitted when the ER doc reviewed the CT scan I’d had five days before. No one had given us the results yet. Not until then. Which was awful because the scan revealed I had a massive tumor on the left side of my chest.
Funnily enough, while my husband wailed in terror at the news, I breathed a sigh of relief. I knew something was wrong. I’d been trying to tell everyone. Finally, confirmation! That also explained the massive pain I was in that rendered my left arm completely useless.
Still, the morning of December 31, as I had done since I’d learned what might be ahead of me, I did something I never expected to: I prayed fiercely the biopsy would prove my suspicions wrong and would instead reveal I had a fungal ball. That sounded a lot easier to treat.
But I knew before the pulmonologist came in and confirmed I had cancer that I wouldn’t be so “lucky.”
By the time Dr. Patton, my oncologist, came to tell us what kind of cancer I had (stage 2 non-Hodgkins lymphoma) and to discuss the next steps, I’d already wrapped my mind around the situation. I’d cried. Been mad. Been so terrified and disgusted that I had cancer choking my lungs that I’d thrown up.
Dr. Patton found me calm, cheerful and determined.
“Um, has anyone explained to you what’s happening?” he asked warily, confused by my demeanor.
“Yes. I understand I have cancer. Now I want to know what my odds are.”
“Well,” he said hesitantly. “We don’t like to talk in terms of percentages.”
I insisted. I explained I needed some kind of stat, some kind of visual, so that I knew what I was up against.
“Well, you have a lot of things on your side. Prior to this, you’ve been relatively healthy. You’re young. So right now I’d say you have a 50-50 chance. But we have more tests to run. Depending on the results of the bone marrow biopsy and the PET scan, your chances could improve to 80-20.”
I didn’t really hear the 80-20 part. The 50-50 news hit me like a punch to my stomach. Maybe not quite as hard as the confirmation I had cancer did, but I’d never had to confront my mortality like that before. It was terrifying.
Basically, I was either going to live or I was going to die.
Which is the reality we face every day. Most of us take for granted when we wake up that we’ll find ourselves safely tucked back into bed again that night and the night after that and so on. I know I sure did.
But my “so on” had suddenly been reduced to…what? How many more days, weeks or months might I live? The next several weeks would be very telling as I started the chemo. Either my body would respond —or it wouldn’t.
Facing death like that, I looked at my husband’s tear-stained face. I thought about my three fur kids waiting for me at home. About all the novels I’d hoped —meant— to write. One day.
I wasn’t ready to check out. And if I could do anything to stack the odds in my favor, I was going to.
“What do I have to do to beat this? What advice can you give me?” I asked Dr. Patton.
“The people I see who do the best are the ones who get off the couch. They don’t sit around waiting to die. They keep living.”
Pain kept me on the couch for the next few months until, thankfully, the chemo started working. By mid-March the tumor had shrunk considerably. So much so and so quickly that it caused my doctor some concern. These results were not typical.
I didn’t know if they were good, bad, typical, or not. I just knew I had to find reasons to keep living.
I’d been contemplating all the things I’d do once I was able to again. I kept a list and focused on what it would feel like to start experiencing them once I was well enough.
Ever since my husband and I had moved to Jacksonville, Florida, in 1999, I’d had the idea for a Haunt Jaunts Guide to Paranormal Tourism book. (Well, I still do. Except now I’ve decided to create a series of guides.)
But back then I’d put it off.
“One day…”
“Once we’ve traveled more…”
“As soon as I know more…”
Then, in 2005, we moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Life wasn’t conducive to writing then. It got less so in 2007, which was the beginning of our Dark Years. It ramped up in March 2008 when my mom was simultaneously diagnosed with dementia and terminal lung cancer and I found myself assuming caregiving roles for her.
Then she died and five months later I found myself being diagnosed with cancer…
It was scary as hell! However, facing my mortality like that made me realize I might not live to see my dream of writing a book come true. Especially not the Haunt Jaunts Guide one. But I could start a blog…
So I did.
My first post was technically March 31, 2009, but I consider April 1, 2009, Haunt Jaunts’ anniversary because that’s when I decided Haunt Jaunts would officially be my “get off the couch and keep living” project.
Haunt Jaunts has since evolved into a site where I roam the world with my husband and Smalls Skeleton (the littlest and cutest member of the Haunt Jaunts Skeleton Crew) in search of the strange, unusual, and mysterious and share what we find on HJ’s blog, podcast, and YouTube.
I started out covering paranormal, horror, and Halloween news, events and shows, but now my focus is on exploring the dark side of true crime and horror as well as the paranormal. And I do love digging into the origins of weird days.
Because of Haunt Jaunts, I’ve found myself venturing to super cool places I’d only ever dreamed of going but never really believed I’d see, having some astounding experiences, and interacting with lots of amazing people —all because cancer finally forced me to get off my butt and quit waiting for “some day” to come along.
That’s why I’m grateful I got sick. Nearly dying helped me figure out how to start living.
So that’s it. My story. The story of Haunt Jaunts.
There are a lot of fun sites out there. I very much appreciate you taking some time to visit mine. Thank you for reading my story.
Now, go explore my site. I’ve literally poured years into it.
I hope you like what you find here. You’re invited to come back as often as you like and stay as long as you want. Fellow restless spirits are always welcome!
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i came across your site when i was wondering if anyone knew why Zak Bagans is niw just sending the guys to do investigations to normal people being haunted.Anyways, I AM A WICKED DIE HARD PARANORMAL FAN!!!!!and…..i got this way because i was the baby of our family(4 girls 1 boy)i was a mommies girl always…my mom was everything( she was a nurse anestitist/anesthesiologist)i would cry into her night gowns that smelled like avons SKIN SO SOFT when she would leave to go to work -id cry myself to sleep-anyway the ongoing joke was i was mom’s favorite- !!LONG STORY ( NOT) short , my mother and i were WICKED CLOSE.when i was13 she was diagnosed with non hodgkins lymphoma, she had a tumor on her brain( she had removed) a tumor the size of a grapefruit in her kidney ( she lost her kidney)she was 49 when she got diagnosed and she was a fighter and YEARS BEFORE HER TIME- she was always into keeping “light & tight” she’d call it- but she changed her lifestyle she worked out before work- only ate healthy foods – taking vitamins and suplements helping her over all health -and then some- like shark cartiledge powdered form that she’d hold her nose and take a spoonful of that stinky yuck as i watched gagging and in dis belief, but she said when your cursed with a body that is diseased- you’ll try anything to help- well she went into remission for 15 years (wiw- im reallyy long winded) ok so she passed away at 63- she worked right up to5 months before she passed away- ANYWAAAAYYYSSS hours after she passed away all us kids were staying at her house( my parents divorced when i was15. and she moved to phenix city alabama)i grew up in western massachusetts-so all us kids were in her room crying and talking about her and i looked over my older sisters shoulder and there was a golden bubble- i called it- this was 1996 before paranormal shows were all over tv.i said did u guys see that golden bubble? it was gone- but i knew it was my mom- golden bubbles are known now as ORBS!!! her death and seeing the golden bubble and wanting to communicate with her and wondering what happens aftet we pass away is what really drew me into the paranormal!! and to see YOUUU ALSO HAD NON HODGKINS LYMPHOMA TURN YOU ON TO THE PARANORMAL TOO FREAKED ME OUT- so i had to tell you my long winded story!!!!!!! i love your site- keep up your amazing articles!!!
Hey Patricia! Thank you so much for sharing the story about your mom. I love hearing the stories of the fighters, especially because it sounds like wow. She had a real fight with TWO tumors! And in different locations even!
But then the story took a twist with the “golden bubble” after her passing. (Which, I’m so sorry about. Especially because you were so close to her and even if she’d lived to be 100, that’s your mom and that loss is one of the hardest we ever have to endure.)
I’ve never heard an orb described quite like you did, which is sad. I like the name “golden bubble” better. It sounds like it was beautiful not only to behold with your eyes but also your heart.
And I always love hearing what led others on their journeys into the paranormal. Thank you so very much for taking the time to leave this comment!
So of all the places you have been what are some of your favorites? Have you ever had any paranormal experiences? Have you ever had anything follow you home?
Hi Amber! Thanks so much for asking these questions. I love haunted hotels, especially fancy, historic ones. That’s why Jekyll Island and the Jekyll Island Club Resort always tops my list of fave places. But the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables was also amazing, and so was the Pfister in Milwaukee, the Drake in Chicago and the Driskill in Austin. San Francisco and Chicago are two of my most favorite cities. Alcatraz never disappoints. And as far as haunted jails go, Brushy Mountain was really interesting too.
I have had several experiences, only one of which was during an investigation. (Mostly because I don’t really do that. I’m more of a researcher and explorer, not an investigator.) But the Shiloh Inn in Salt Lake City was a big experience. Also had some at the Driskill, the Jekyll Island Club, and the Argonaut Hotel in San Fran. (Just to name a few of the more memorable ones.) I had met up with a team who was investigating Old South Pittsburg Hospital and had some big experiences there too.
As far as I know, nothing’s ever followed me home. I’ve asked, but I think they sense my needy desperation and it turns them off. lol
What about you? How would you answer your questions?
Courtney, thanks so much for sharing a very difficult part of your life with us. It is truly humbling to learn about your journey. I’m always taken back and inspired by folks who are passionate about what they do and it sounds like you are. Life threw you a curveball and you still managed weather the storm. I’m sure your view on life is different from others because tomorrow is not promised to anyone. Cancer is the worst. One of our closest friends passed away from a rare genetic type of colon cancer last month and she was only 41. I also experienced a near death event at an early age and have always lived life with more appreciation and curiosity since then. It’s like we’re in overtime!
I look forward to exploring your website as I’m always so fascinated by all things paranormal, horror movies, and true crime.
Hi Randy! I’m so very sorry to hear about your friend. Gone way too early, that’s for sure. And because of your loss and your own near-death experience, you have an appreciation that most others don’t for life and our time here on this planet. Love your word for it “overtime”! I call it the extra years but yes. I do feel like I got to play out some more years in overtime. Glad you found my site and are enjoying exploring it. Love hearing that. But even more I really appreciate this comment and you sharing your story with me.
Courtney, I just discovered your site by happenstance. I have not yet explored it – I will – but I wanted to wish you good health and positive vibes to keep “C” at bay. All the best!
Oh my goodness, Ken. I love that you landed here “by happenstance,” but the fact that you took the time to leave such a wonderful comment? Very much appreciated. THANK YOU!!!!
In reference to your blog about the unsolved mysteries apartment 14 episode: I think I owned the haunted “Sleep and Snore” Ernie doll in 2010-2011. I believe it has been in the thrift store rotation for years now.
I also watched the unsolved mysteries apartment 14 episode and I was absolutely shook to my core. When my daughter was about two, my sister came home from Goodwill and brought home a sleep and snore Ernie doll. It was older and I knew it wasn’t a recent toy, but I thought, Sesame Street is perfect age for her and it wasn’t in terrible condition— so we kept it. My daughter would never play with it. She didn’t even want it. So it sat with her toys. That Ernie doll would go off in the middle of the night constantly. But it only would say the phrase “I feel great!“ Over and over. I just thought it had a battery dying or a bad circuit that was shorting out. However, to my shock, I took the batteries out of it and ended up not having the right batteries for it, so put it in the garage. A couple weeks later I saw it out there, so I brought it back in the house and decided I would go to the store and get more batteries for it. But when I brought it back in the house, it started saying “I feel great!” Over and over again. I thought maybe someone put the batteries back in while it was in the garage? But when I checked the back, there wasn’t even the battery cover on the back, just open holes where the battery should go and no batteries in them. It freaked me out!! Once I realized what was happening it stopped and I couldn’t get Ernie to say it again, I tried to show people and tell people, But they didn’t believe me. And used logic to dismiss it. That doll always gave me weird feelings and vibes and when it came time, I ended up donating that Ernie doll to Goodwill. I believe that was the same doll for several reasons.
One, I only live about an hour and a half away from Chico, California, which is where the apartment 14 Unsolved mysteries episode was from.
And two, I had the same experience with the same catchphrase.
And finally, when I watched that episode of unsolved mysteries, and I saw and heard the Ernie doll again on that episode, it made me physically ill, sick to my stomach. Which is something that doesn’t usually happen to me because I’m a very skeptical and science oriented person.
I truly believe that I owned that same haunted Ernie doll in 2010.
I donated it around 2011 to the Petaluma, California Goodwill Center if anyone wants to try to track it down.
Angelina Clementi
Hey Angelina! Thanks so much for sharing your experience with a Sleep and Snore Ernie doll. It very well could’ve been the same one for all anyone knows. And how wild would that be? OR it could be evidence there was some kind of design flaw with it…but doubtful because it would need batteries to operate and talk. So it’s super interesting you had a similar experience. Again, thanks so much for taking the time to share it!
Courtney, so glad you beat cancer. My dad passed away in December of 2019 from stage 4 renal cancer. I had stage 1 right renal cancer and the same time as my dad. It was so hurt & angry that he didn’t have more time. I’m a Registered Nurse and I worked at a haunted hospital. It was built a top of an Indian burial site. I’ve been able to feel, smell, hear and see paranormal phenomena.
Oh Wendi, I’m so sorry to hear about your dad losing his battle with renal cancer, and that you were fighting it at the same time! I’d lost my mom to cancer 5 months before I was diagnosed so your story really resonated. SO glad you were able to beat it. High five, fellow survivor! And THANKS for the bonus share about working in a haunted hospital and what all you can sense. I’m sure that keeps your job even more interesting!